Talking About The Fault in Our Stars

www.GoodReadingGuide.com ©
talking about
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www.GoodReadingGuide.com ©www.GoodReadingGuide.com
Please note:
*This explores only a small part of TFIOS;
use the book to go further!
*Comments are intended to facilitate
discussion and need not be agreed with
*This is intended for use after reading the
book and/or watching the movie, since it
explores their content

Contents
5 identify with characters
12 humour & hope
19 the meaning of life
27 a worthwhile life
32 why suffering?
37 sickness & living with suffering
46 suffering & love
55 love
64 family
74 faith
80 real life
82 reading

Why did you read this
book and/or
watch this movie?
before we begin
for pleasure?
friends told me to?
for school?
another reason?
Are you glad you did?

Are Hazel and Gus different to ordinary
teenagers? How?
identify with characters

teenagers? How?
Superficial things don’t matter so much?

teenagers? How?
Bigger things are more important?

teenagers? How?
Bigger things are more important? Like…
What is life about?

What is life about?
teenagers? How?
Why is there suffering?

teenagers? How?
What is love?
What is life about?

teenagers? How?
What is love?
Can you relate to Hazel and Gus?
What is life about?

“You have a choice in this world, I believe, about how to tell
sad stories, and we made the funny choice.” (Hazel, 209)
humour and hope

humour and hope
How else could you tell a sad story?

humour and hope
Why would you choose the funny way?

humour and hope
Why would you choose the funny way?
John Green says he chose the funny way to
show that even in suffering, there is some
basis for hope.

humour and hope
How?

humour and hope
p123 “We gotta do something about this frigging swing
set, I’m telling you, it’s ninety percent of the problem.”
How?
p22‐3 How Gus drives with his prosthetic leg
p130 “I’ve gotten really hot since you went blind.”
p143 “It’s embarrassing that we all just walk through life
blindly accepting that scrambled eggs are fundamentally
associated with mornings.”
p225 “I’m on a roller coaster that only goes up, kid.”

“…it doesn’t victimize death. It doesn’t
victimize cancer. It celebrates life, which is
really hopeful and necessary, I think,
right now in the world.”
(Shailene Woodley – Hazel)
humour and hope
http://au.eonline.com/news/523738/shailene‐woodley‐s‐makeup‐artist‐
breaks‐down‐the‐star‐s‐sexy‐earthy‐look‐favorite‐beauty‐products

the meaning of life
Compare

“What do you mean by meant? Given the final futility of our
struggle, is the fleeting jolt of meaning that art gives us
valuable? Or is the only value in passing the time as
comfortably as possible? What should a story seek to
emulate, Augustus? A ringing alarm? A Call to arms? A
morphine drip? Of course…this line of inquiry inevitably
reduces us to asking what it means to be human and
whether…there is a point to it all.
“I fear there is not, my friend…” (Van Houten, 68)
the meaning of life
Compare

“I believe the universe wants to be noticed. I think the
universe is improbably biased toward consciousness, that it
rewards intelligence in part because the universe enjoys its
elegance being observed. And who am I, living in the middle
of history, to tell the universe that it—or my observation of
it—is temporary?” (Hazel’s dad, 222)
the meaning of life
Compare

“I believe the universe wants to be noticed. I think the
universe is improbably biased toward consciousness, that it
rewards intelligence in part because the universe enjoys its
elegance being observed. And who am I, living in the middle
of history, to tell the universe that it—or my observation of
it—is temporary?” (Hazel’s dad, 222)
the meaning of life
Compare
“…that feeling of excitement and gratitude about just
being able to marvel at it all.” (Gus, 175)

the meaning of life
Compare
“It’s a good life, Hazel Grace” (Gus, 236)

the meaning of life
Compare
“It’s a good life, Hazel Grace” (Gus, 236)
“I thought about how the universe wanted to
be noticed, and how I had to notice it as best I
could. I felt that I owed a debt to the universe
that only my attention could repay, and also
that I owed a debt to everybody who didn’t get
to be a person anymore and everyone who
hadn’t gotten to be a person yet.” (Hazel, 294)

the meaning of life
Compare
“It occurred to me that the voracious
ambition of humans is never sated by
dreams coming true, because there is
always the thought that everything
might be done better and again. That is
probably true even if you live to be ninety—although
I’m jealous of the people who get to find out for sure.
Then again, I’d already lived twice as long as Van
Houten’s daughter. What he wouldn’t have given to
have a kid die at sixteen.” (Hazel, 305)

the meaning of life
“Who am I to say that these things
might not be forever?
Who is Peter Van Houten to
assert as fact the conjecture that
our labor is temporary?”
(Hazel, 307‐8)

a worthwhile life
Compare

a worthwhile life
Compare
p59 Gus wants to be selfless and heroic,
to make a difference

a worthwhile life
Compare
p59 Gus wants to be selfless and heroic,
to make a difference
…But maybe life’s not
about big heroics,
but the people around
you?

a worthwhile life
Compare
“…The oblivion fear is something else, fear that I won’t be able
to give anything in exchange for my life. If you don’t live a life
in service of a greater good, you’ve gotta at least die a death in
service of a greater good, you know? And I fear that I won’t get
either a life or a death that means anything.” (Gus, 168)
“It’s really mean of you to say that the only lives that matter
are the ones that are lived for something or die for something.
That’s a really mean thing to say to me.” (Hazel, 169)

a worthwhile life
Compare
“…I always thought my obituary would be in all the
newspapers, that I’d have a story worth telling...” (Gus, 240)
“I just want to be enough for you, but I never can be. This can
never be enough for you. But this is all you get. You get me,
and your family, and this world. This is your life. I’m sorry if it
sucks. But you’re not going to be the first man on Mars, and
you’re not going to be an NBA star…” (Hazel, 241)

why suffering?

“Everyone in this tale has a rock‐solid hamartia: hers, that she
is so sick; yours, that you are so well. Were she better or you
sicker, then the stars would not be so terribly crossed, but it is
the nature of stars to cross, and never was Shakespeare more
wrong than when he had Cassius note, “The fault, dear
Brutus, is not in our stars / But in ourselves.” Easy enough to
say when you’re a Roman nobleman (or Shakespeare!), but
there is no shortage of fault to be found amid our stars.”
(Van Houten, 111)
why suffering?
http://fremdeng.ning.com/profiles/blogs/never‐was‐
shakespeare‐more‐wrong‐the‐fault‐in‐our‐stars

“...really, the problem is not suffering itself or oblivion itself
but the depraved meaninglessness of these things, the
absolutely inhuman nihilism of suffering. I thought of my dad
telling me that the universe wants to be noticed. But what we
want is to be noticed by the universe, to have the universe
give a shit what happens to us—not
the collective idea of sentient life
but each of us, as individuals.”
(Hazel, 281)
why suffering?

why suffering?
A purpose we don’t understand?

“Antonietta Meo lay dying at the ripened
age of six from this agonizing cancer, she
told her father, ‘Pain is like fabric: The
stronger it is, the more it’s worth.’ Is that
true, Hazel?”
I wasn’t looking at him directly but at his
reflection in the mirror. “No,” I shouted over
the music. “That’s bs”
“But don’t you wish it were true!” he cried
back.” (Van Houten & Hazel, 284)
why suffering?
A purpose we don’t understand?
http://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Antonietta_Meo

sickness & living with suffering
Are the sick really so different?

“The physical evidence of disease
separates you from other people. We
were irreconcilably other, and never
was it more obvious than when the
three of us walked through the empty
plane, the stewardess nodding
sympathetically and gesturing us
toward our row in the distant back.”
(Hazel, 144)
Are the sick really so different?

“Oh, I wouldn’t mind, Hazel Grace. It
would be a privilege to have my heart
broken by you.” (Gus, 176)
Hazel doesn’t want to get close to
people for fear she’ll hurt them.
http://smply‐me.tumblr.com/post/61427094809

“Oh, I wouldn’t mind, Hazel Grace. It
would be a privilege to have my heart
broken by you.” (Gus, 176)
Hazel doesn’t want to get close to
people for fear she’ll hurt them.
“The urge to make art or contemplate philosophy does not go
away when you are sick. Those urges just become
transfigured by illness” (Hazel, 213)
On philosophy http://smply‐me.tumblr.com/post/61427094809

The Augustus Waters of the crooked
smiles and unsmoked cigarettes was
gone, replaced by this desperate
humiliated creature sitting here
beneath me.
“This is it. I can’t even not smoke
anymore.”
“Gus, I love you.” (Gus & Hazel, 245)
Hazel’s response to Gus’ emergency

Gus said, “I have wonderful news!” And I
was like, “I don’t really want to hear
wonderful news right now,” and Gus
said, “This is wonderful news you want
to hear,” and I asked him, “Fine, what is
it?” and he said, “You are going to live a
good and long life filled with great and
terrible moments that you cannot even
imagine yet!” (Isaac, 272)
Isaac remembers Gus’ words when Isaac first lost his sight

Hazel is happy to find out her mom is studying
again, to know that she won’t fall apart after
Hazel is gone. (297)

Hazel wants her parents to stay together after
she dies, doesn’t want to ruin their lives. (297)

“You of all people know it is possible to live with pain.”
(Hazel’s mom, 297)
Hazel wants her parents to stay together after
she dies, doesn’t want to ruin their lives. (297)

suffering & love
“I’m a grenade and at some point
I’m going to blow up and I would
like to minimize the casualties,
okay?” (Hazel, 99)
Discuss

suffering & love
“I’m a grenade and at some point
I’m going to blow up and I would
like to minimize the casualties,
okay?” (Hazel, 99)
Discuss
“I didn’t want to be a grenade.
But then again, he knew what he
was doing, didn’t he? It was his
choice, too.” (Hazel, 164)

suffering & love
Several times Hazel criticises the ‘encouragement’,

suffering & love
“Without pain, how could we know joy?”

suffering & love
What could it mean in the context of the
following quotes?

suffering & love
What could it mean in the context of the
following quotes?
“Gus, my love, I cannot tell you how thankful I am for our
little infinity. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. You gave me a
forever within the numbered days, and I’m grateful.”
(Hazel, 260)

suffering & love
“I hate it. But it was sure a privilege to love him, huh?”
I nodded into his shirt.
“Gives you an idea how I feel about you,” he said.
My old man. He always knew just what to say.”
(Hazel & her dad, 278)

suffering & love
“…for about one second I was a good enough person to hope
she died so she would never know that I was going, too. But
then I wanted more time so we could fall in love. I got my
wish, I suppose. I left my scar.”
(Gus, 313)

suffering & love
“She is so beautiful. You don’t get tired of
looking at her. You never worry if she is
smarter than you: You know she is. She is
funny without ever being mean. I love
her. I am so lucky to love her, Van Houten.
You don’t get to choose if you get hurt in
this world, old man, but you do have
some say in who hurts you. I like my
choices. I hope she likes hers.”
“I do, Augustus. I do.” (Gus & Hazel, 313)
http://rocketrictic.tumblr.com/post/29557421929/13‐of‐green‐august‐week‐3‐the‐fault‐in‐our

“That’s what love is. Love is keeping the promise anyway.
Don’t you believe in true love?”
I thought that if true love did exist, that was a pretty good
definition of it. (Isaac & Hazel, 61)
love

love
What happens to Isaac and Monica when Isaac
loses his sight?
How do Gus and Hazel feel about this?

love
What happens to Isaac and Monica when Isaac
loses his sight?
How do Gus and Hazel feel about this?
What happens to Hazel and Gus when each
experiences medical emergencies?

love
Hazel doesn’t want to kiss Gus ‘just because’.
When she finally realises she loves him, later
the same day they go all the way. Why?

love
To express their love?

love
If so, why would they not want their
parents to know about it?

love
If so, why would they not want their
parents to know about it?
If you don’t have sex, does that
mean you don’t really love?

love
Is there more to sex than ‘expressing love’?

love
Food for thought:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXuH‐x8r8MY
Is there more to sex than ‘expressing love’?

family
What are some of the good qualities about
Hazel’s parents? (examples follow)

family
What are some of the good qualities about Gus’
parents? (examples follow)

family
Both Hazel and Gus have home rules. What
does this say about their parents?

family
Both Hazel and Gus have home rules. What
does this say about their parents?
Gus’ dad won’t let them watch a movie together in
the basement
Hazel isn’t allowed phones at dinner
Hazel’s parents complain that she’s always out

family
“They might be glad to have me around, but I was the alpha
and the omega of my parents’ suffering.” (Hazel, 116)

family
Hazel’s parents ask what they can do for her
when she’s distraught; they end up just holding
her for hours while the tide rolled in. (267)

family
Hazel is happy to know her mom is studying,
and won’t fall apart after Hazel’s gone. (297)

family
She wants her parents to stay together after
she dies. (297)

family
She wants her parents to stay together after
she dies. (297)
She doesn’t want her dad to become an
alcoholic like Van Houten after she dies. (298)

faith
What is the purpose of ‘support group’?
Does it work?

faith
Does it work?
Gus’ parents like to have ‘encouragements’
around their home. Why?
Do they work?

faith
Does it work?
Gus’ parents like to have ‘encouragements’
around their home. Why?
Do they work?
Could there be more to religion than this?

faith
How is Gus’ belief different?

faith
How is Gus’ belief different?
“Do you believe in an afterlife?”
“No… Well, maybe I wouldn’t go as far as no. You?”
“Yes, absolutely. Not like a heaven where you ride unicorns,
play harps, and live in a mansion made of clouds. But yes. I
believe in Something with a capital S. Always have.”
“Really?” I asked. I was surprised. I’d always associated belief
in heaven with, frankly a kind of intellectual disengagement.
But Gus wasn’t dumb… (Gus & Hazel, 167)

faith
“I fear earthly oblivion. But, I
mean, not to sound like my
parents, but I believe humans
have souls, and I believe in
the conservation of souls…”
(Gus, 167)

real life
This extraordinary young man recently died of cancer.

real life
This extraordinary young man recently died of cancer.
After reading some of Stephen’s fb posts, what do
you think of his philosophy of life?

reading
How has this story
made you think about:

reading
How has this story
humanity

reading
How has this story
humanity
empathy

reading
How has this story
humanity
empathy
sickness

reading
How has this story
humanity
empathy
sickness
learning

reading
How has this story
humanity
empathy
sickness
learning
writing

reading
How has this story
humanity
empathy
sickness
learning
writing
anything else?

reading
Gus is impressed that
Hazel likes reading. Why?

reading
Have you discussed a
book like Gus and Hazel
did An Imperial Affliction?

reading
Are you planning to read
a(nother) book soon?

reading
Are you planning to read
a(nother) book soon?
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Talking About The Fault in Our Stars

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